Families receive financial help during Ramadan ceremony in Singapore

In the true spirit of ‘giving’ in the ongoing holy month of Ramadan, about 600 needy families received cash and vouchers worth SGD200,000 in a ceremony organised by the Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore’s Ramadan Zakat Disbursement ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Halimah Yacob, guest of honour and Speaker of Parliament, said “The institution of Zakat is well-organised and strong in Singapore. Zakat is the obligatory act of almsgiving and is one of Islam’s pillars. People are brought together through the sharing of wealth, while at the same time performing their Islamic duty.”

She added, “Today’s event reminds us of the strong spirit of charity and unity among Singaporean Muslims. This innate sense to help one another is not only nurtured in Islam; it has always been part of the values upon which the Singaporean community builds itself.”

During the ceremony, about 575 recipients received financial help through gifts and vouchers. The beneficiaries included the low-income, the elderly and those with chronic diseases. The items included turkey ham, dates and tea.

The recipients, 103 of whom are converts to Islam and 472 of whom were born into the religion, each received SGD255 from the zakat and NTUC FairPrice vouchers of SGD110 from fidyah, which are religious donations made when a fast is broken.

Ashraf Jamal brings a rare depth to writing equipped with a degree in journalism, a postgraduate degree in political science, and a degree in law from the Allahabad University. His experience includes editing and publishing the Northern India Patrika and writing for Times of India for almost a decade covering just about any topic under the sun including NRIs and Indian diaspora.

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